Vehicle construction and suspension



g 1927 B. F. SEYMOUR VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION AND SUSPENSION Original FiledJune 22- Patented Aug. 2, 1927.

\ 1' UNITED TFS,T:ATE$ PAT-EM F F BENJAMIN r. summon, orwasrrmorommsrnmr or COLUMBIA.

VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION AND susrnnsroni Applicatipnimed June 22, 1920,Serial 4No. 380, 827. Renewed February 2, 1 9 26. i

The present inventionrelates to vehicle construction and resilientsuspensions for vehicle hodiesandconsists iirtlie combinationsandarrangcments of elements, hereinafier described and partioularly setforth in the vaccompany*iIig Claims.

The purpose of the invention is to construct a chassisless body vehicle,including the power driven type eliminating the usual frame andtransverse axles, also with a resilient means for indirectly absorbingand dissipating all shocks ,or .jars to which the vehicle wheel :issuhjectediand without causundue strain on eitherthe wheel orits supportor transinittino excessive vibration to the supporteddoad.

Another object of theresilient suspension as proposed herein is thefcmployment of apparatus and disposal of the elements thereof in suchmanner as will secure the ,maximumstability of the resilient sustainingstructure. and most suitable location or distribution of theresilientdevices per so with regard tothe body on which the same aredirectly mounted.

The invention further contemplates the employment of a resilientsuspension wherein the vehicle wheel is nonrevolubly mounted on astub-axle to the end of avoiding the enormous weight required by usingan axle extending entirely across the car, and it is'further proposed toemploy a drive rotating the said stub-axl-e, the wheel revolving withsaid stubaxle.

The invention is disclosed by way of illustration in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan View thereof with parts in section showino theresilientsuspension and transmission, and

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Referring" to the construction in further detail and wherein likereference characters designate corresponding parts in the differentviews shown, 3 indicates the engine suitably mounted on the car, and 4the driving shaft thereof that is connected to the driven shaft 5 withinthe differential casing 6 in the usual way; and the body C is centrallycut away to receive the revoluble head 7 having a flanged portion 8which carries an internal ring gear 9 whose teeth mesh with the pinion10 on the driven shaft 5 as shown. a

The wheel \V is non-revolubly mounted and supported on a. stub-axle 1.1,and s cured to said stub-axle is a pair of plates 13 and 14 disposedopposite sides of the revoluble head 7, and said side plates areconstructed with annular recessechpor tions15 constituting cam elements;and cooperable withsaid cam elements isa spring 17 engaging therewithand adapted to operate and provide the resilient suspension for thevehicle body. Any relative transverse movement betweenthe bodv C and thewheel axle l1 will'act to compress the sustaining spring 17 by reason ofthe opposed conical or annular cam surfaces of {he cam elements againstwhich the spring .FQITL'S- It should also be noted that the spring willbe subjected to the cooperating action of the double cones or camsurfaces under 'any o iven movement of the vh cle body Cor the axle llin a direction"axially ot t he wheel.

The two side plates are connected. together by the pairs oi screws 20engagine with tubular spacing-r members 21, that are located within theseveral openings provided in'the revoluble head 7 in the manner shown.The inner olate 13 is secured to the axle 11 by the pin 18- and saidside plates and the revoluble head are in turn mounted within the body Cby the retaining plates 22 and 23, suitably bolted to the body as at 25,and a plurality of antifriction bearings 12. preferably of the rollertype, are located between said revoluhle head and the periphery of theopening in the body C.

The inner retaining plate 23 is constructed with an integral casing 24which provides an inclosure for the inner working parts of the resilientsuspension and the transmission, as shown. A brake band 26 encircles theouter surface of the flange 8 which forms, as stated, an integralportion of the revoluble head 7.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spiritof my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to uchfeatures except as may be required by the claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a power driven vehicle construction, the combination with aohassisless body of stub axles equipped with wheels, means revolublymounting each stub axle to said body,

i a a 1,637,355

a resilient Sustaining element cooperating with said meansand the stubaxle, a driving element associated with said means, and a con1monpower;means carried by the body and connected with each of the drivingelements, substantially asset forth.

, 2. In a power driven vehicle construction the combination with achassisless bo'dyof I stub-axles equipped with wheels, a head for eachstub-axle revolubly mounted in said body, a resilient sustaining elementinserted between andcooperating with said head and the stub-axle, adriving element on said head and power means carried by the body andconnected with the driving element, substantially as set forth.

3. In a power driven vehicle construction,

I the combination-with a chassisless body of stub-axles'equipped withwheels, a head for each stub-axle revolubly mounted in said body, aresilientsustaining element inserted between and cooperating with saidhead and the stub axle, cam elements cooperable with the resilient;element for laterally compressing the resilient element, a gear on saidhead,

a motor mounted on the body and driving connection between the motorandthe gear,

substantially as set forth.

1. In a power driven vehicle, the combination of a body, a wheel, astub-axle therefor,

- a revoluble head on which saidaxle is supported, said head beingrevolubly mounted in said body,,a resilient sustaining element locatedbetween the revoluble head and the stub-axle, a driving element carriedby the revoluble head, a power means, and a drive between the powermeans and the driving element.

5. In a power driven vehiclethe combination of a body having an openingtherein, a revoluble head located in said opening, antifriction bearingsbetween said head and the body, a wheel, a stub-axle therefor supportedin the revoluble head, a resilient element lo cated between said headand the stub-axle, cam elements cooperable with the resilient elementfor laterally compressingsaidresilt body, side plates having camelements earried by said head, a wheel, a stub-axle thereforsupported-in said side plates, a resilient element located between saidstub-axle and the revoluble head and cooperable with said cam elements,a flange on said head having, a gear element, a motor, and a drivebetween the motor and said flange gear element, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

BENJAMIN F. SEYMOUR. 7 J

